Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer ceramic capacitor capable of accommodating high voltage.
Description of the Related Art
Pertaining to multilayer ceramic capacitors capable of accommodating high voltage, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Patent Literature 1 mentioned later disclose a multilayer ceramic capacitor constituted by first internal electrode layer groups and second internal electrode layer groups stacked alternately with dielectric layers in between, wherein four or more capacitive components that are connected in series are formed between a first internal electrode layer group and a second internal electrode layer group adjacent to it. This multilayer ceramic capacitor can effectively improve voltage resistance because the high voltage applied between its first external electrode and second external electrode can be divided to each of the four or more capacitive components connected in series.
Regarding to multilayer ceramic capacitors capable of accommodating high voltage, they are facing a need for greater voltage resistance in addition to size reduction, just like other general multilayer ceramic capacitors. However, reducing the size of the multilayer ceramic capacitor disclosed in Patent Literature 1 below, especially shortening its length, makes it easier for a discharge phenomenon to occur between the first external electrode and the capacitive component closest to it, and also between the second external electrode and the capacitive component closest to it when high voltage is applied between the first external electrode and second external electrode. In other words, size reduction tends to lower the discharge-starting voltage, which makes it difficult to increase voltage resistance.